Pilot operated regulating valve



May 26, 1953 SPENCE 2,639,556 I PILOT OPERATEDREGULATING VALVE Filed July 9, 1947 INVENTOR PawZsen Spencev ATTORNEYS Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED QFFICIE 1150 ore-I a an REGULAIING VALVE- au sen Spe c Baton euse. La, si nqr t9 S ence Engineerin Oversea 1.1m", Wa den. N- Y1, a ver orat qa of New Y rk Application July-'9, 1947, semi No. 159,309

6 Cla m 1 My invention relates to valves and. in particular to. an improved pressureeregu-lating valve.

It is an object or the invention to. provide an improved valve of the characterindicated.

It is: another object to. provide an improved regulating valve construction having features. of ru edness, adaptability, and quick and easy servicing.

Other objects; and: various further features of the invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the followingspecification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings:

Fig. l is a front vertical sectional View through avalve incorporatingfeaturesv of the; invention;

Fig. 2 isa partly broken-away side view of hevalve of Fi 1'; nd

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially in the plane 3-3 of 2;,

Briefiystated, myinvention contemplates, improved regulator construction embodying a Pilot valve in t-a s mble r a i n with a; in val-re. e. l t va m e.- in o p rated n o he cu toma y cover or bonne v the. helm openi he h gh-pr ssu e id o th main valve. In the specific for-n1 to he deeeribed leed r m t pil va o he o -pressureside of the main valve and; from the pi ot valve e r ss e o a ua r t e. me 1 valve are included in readily detachable connec; tions to a single pipe, for ready servicing. A novel arrangement is provided for strainer rneans assure liable pin or aea Refe to the. drawings, my invention is:

shown n application to a regulator-valve assern v" a ma a v and a r le valve I; he mainvalve; includes a body 7 having an inlet or high-pressure side. 8- and an outlet or; lovve pressure side i. A main valve member IQ is. positioned to. control flow through the valve 5 and in the form shown is actuated (through a stem H) by fluid pressure-responsive means in theforrn of a diaphragm l2 The.valve-.-stem side dia hr m: 2 is Pref b in l ideomm. cation with the low-pressure side of valve 5, as. by means or a loose fit of valve stem II; in its guide 42. The valve member [.0 may be re-. siliently urged. to a normal seated. position by spring means l3, and the valve. member in may be actuated against the force of spring means I by ile m ed fluid; P ssur n. e pace. between diaphragm t2 and the hood {4. under the base I 5 of; the main valve.

In accordance with the invention, the. pilot valve 6 is formed in or carried by the cover or (01. ail-.713);

bonnet l6 usually provided over the bonnet, open; ing H on the. high-pressure side or main valvev 5. In the. form shown, the construction of pilot 6*; includes a pilot. valve member it normally urged in an open direction by resilient means l9, shovvn adjnlstably supported within a cowl yoke 29;. Pressure-responsive means in the form of' a dia-. phragm is positioned to oppose the force. of spring [:91 and thus to. control the. placement of the pilot valve member [8; Since the p lot valve 6- i-ncorperated h onn or cov r- B, 1' maybe readilymounted upon and remo dr m the main valve 5. In the. form shown, opposing flan es. 2r2.+.23; of th 1001 .net. l6. and; of th alv dy 1, respectively,, are secured y b l as. at, 24

F r. the typ of ilot; valve. 6.: and a n.- val s own pre s reeresul tine fu tion may b ta ned n: pr vid fluid: c mmun cat ve mean f m. he ew p eeswre id of; he p lot valve mem er .8-. to h luidmres e ec na ed eans L2 or: the valv and; y v din a b ed c nn ction f omv leW- esure i e f: t p ot. valv member 8 to. h l w-n sure. ide. o e. al s d l w entro ma e e te by su pl n c tr l pr ssur s under the di phra m. 2 nd in. the orm s ow u h reeu tien. s. e evted b a pe c ne tion. 2. fr m. a. part 21 at he dow r a ine supp ied ih iilet 9; f. the ma n v ve It w ll lear th t unti he d sir d re ul ted. ure is de elope at. the lew a nre i 3 f h ma al e here. w l be in ufii ient cent al: e

an we. b eed es wi l. e under-s eed: perm t re it re-seat valve mem e J; n l

uchtime a h d sired regu at d. Pr u e. tells Qfi n the. l wsr saure id vi i-. mai a ee. av er n e th e n en ion. he. id-

. the Pilot alv to h pressure-resp sive means l2 and to, the lpw pressure side of main Valve may be. formed as a single unit, readily detachable for quickand easy servicing. In the form shown, the low-pressure. side 21' of the pilot valve 5; terminates outside the bonnetlil in; a readily detachable flanged connector. 2-8.

1 pressu e. wi l. t refo ean en rall nd cated for- Similarly, the pressure-responsive means I2-I4 terminates in a readilydetachable flanged connector 29 carried by the hood I4. A similar flanged connector may also provide a fluid connection to the outlet side 9 of the main valve, as at 3|. Preferably, all connectors 2829-30 are more or less aligned and face toward the same side of the regulator Valve assembly. Such alignment will be understood to permit ready attachment to a single pipe line 32, fitted at each end with connectors 3334 to be secured to connectors 2829, respectively, and including at an intermediate portion a further connector 35 for association with the connector 30. The bleed means between the pilot valve 6 and the outlet or low-pressure side 9 of the main valve preferably comprises a bleed orifice in the form of a readily insertable orifice element 36 removably held by one of the connectors 39-35 and immediately exposed when the connection 3035 is opened.

If desired, for the protection of diaphragm I2 against sudden pressure surges on the inlet side of the main valve, a bleed member 3'! similar to bleed orifice 36 may be removably inserted in one of the connector members 2934 adjacent the pressure-responsive means I2.

It will be clear that with the arrangement described the mere uncoupling of connectors 2 8-33, 35-30, and 2934 will serve completely to release control pipe 32 and to make the bleed members 363'I immediately available for cleaning, servicing or replacement.

In accordance with the invention, even though the pilot valve member I8 is carried by the bonnet I6 and projects into the inlet or high-pressure side 8 of the main valve, it may be fully protected for free and uniform pressure regulation by screen means 38 between valve member I8 and valve member II]. In the form shown, the screen means 38 is a wire basket of sufficiently fine mesh to strain the fluid within the valve and to intercept foreign matter. The basket 38 may be welded or otherwise peripherally secured to a mounting ring 39 seated against an annular shoulder 4|] at the lip of the bonnet opening I'I. Preferably, the depth of the ring 39 coincides with the depth of the cut for shoulder 40 so that the gasket M or other sealing member between bonnet I6 and the main valve body I may sealingly overlap parts of the body I and of the ring 39. It will be clear that with such a sealing arrangement the ring 39 may be made loosely to fit in the body I so as to permit ready removability for cleaning purposes, without impairing the sealing fit of the gasket 4I over the ring 39 and over the body I.

In accordance with the invention, the base I which is utilized to support the pressure-responsive means I2I4 for the main valve is formed separately from the valve body I and is secured thereto by means including interfitting surfaces to assure concentric alignment of the valve stem I I with the guide 42, and with the valve member I9 and its seat. In the form shown, this alignment is possible through the formation of a cylindrical surface 43 outside the valve body I concentric with the guide 42. The surface 43 slidably receives a cylindrical bore formed in the base I5. The adjacent shoulders 44-45 of the interfitting parts of the base I5 and the body I may be chamfered or bevelled so as to accommodate a circumferential weld 46 for sealingly securing the base I5 to the body I. It will be understood that the axial extent of the interfitting surfaces at 43 may be such as to assure concentric alignment of the displaceable parts of the main valve and that the weld 46 may not only maintain this alignment but also effectively seal the space beneath (i. e. the low-pressure side of) the diaphragm I2.

It will be appreciated that I have described a novel and useful valve construction particularly applicable to regulating valves. The construction embodying these novel features provides simplicity of parts and the utmost in ease of access to all parts requiring servicing.

While I have described my invention in detail for the preferred form shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a regulating valve, a valve body having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a main valve member for controlling flow between said openings, pressure-responsive means carried by said body and connected for actuating said main valve member, said body having a single bonnet opening communicating with said inlet opening and overstanding said main valve member, and a unit pilot-valve and bonnet for said opening, said unit including a pilot-valve member on the bottom thereof and directly exposed in said bonnet opening whereby said pilot-valve member may be directly exposed to the inlet opening of said main valve when said unit is applied to said bonnet opening, said unit further including pressure-responsive means for said pilot-valve member, connecting means on said unit for connecting the low-pressure side of said pilot-valve member to said first-mentioned pressure-responsive means, and bleed-connecting means on said unit for bleeding the low-pressure side of said pilotvalve member to the outlet side of said body.

2. In combination, a main-valve unit having an inlet side and an outlet side with a valve member therebetween and unitarily including pressure-responsive actuating means for said member, said valve having a bonnet opening, first externally accessible detachable fluid-communicating connector means communicating with said outlet side for discharging pilot-admitted pressure fluid to said outlet side, and second externally accessible detachable fluid-communicating connector means communicating and in actuating relation with said pressure-responsive means for admitting pilot-controlled fluid pressure in actuating relation with said pressureresponsive means and therefore with said valve member; a bonnet unit including means for removable attachment to said main-valve unit at the bonnet opening thereof, a pilot valve unitarily carried by said bonnet unit and including a member projecting into said main-valve opening when said bonnet unit is secured to said main-valve unit, and third externally accessible fluid-communicating connector means communicating with the downstream side of said pilotvalve member and unitarily carried by said bonnet unit whereby pilot-controlled pressure fluid may be made available at said third connector means; and a single fluid-communicating interconnection unit including separate detachable means for external detachable connection to all three of said externally accessible fluid-communicating connector means, whereby upon detachment of said interconnection unit, all said cleaned.

3. The combination of claim 1, in which a removable bleed-orifice member is held in said first connector means when attached to said interconnection unit.

4. The combination of claim 1, in which a removable bleed-orifice member is held in said sec- 0nd connector means when attached to said interconnection unit.

5. In combination, a main-valve unit having an inlet side and an outlet side with a valve member therebetween and unitarily including pressureresponsive actuating means for said member, said valve having a bonnet opening and a first straight fluid-communicating passage from said outlet side and open exteriorly of said mainvalve unit, a readily detachable connector fitting at the exterior end of said first passag said mainvalve unit also having a second straight fluidcommunicating passage from said pressureresponsive means and open exteriorly of said main-valve unit, and a readily detachable connector fitting at the exterior end of said second passage; a bonnet unit including means for removable attachment to said main-valve unit at the bonnet opening thereof, a pilot valve unitarily carried by said bonnet unit and including a member within said main-valve opening when said bonnet unit is secured to said main-valve unit, said bonnet unit having a, third fluidcommunicating passage from the downstream side of said pilot-valve member and open exteriorly of said bonnet unit, and a readily detachable connector fitting at the exterior end of said third passage; and fluid-communicating means exterior of said units and detachably interconnecting said passages at said fittings.

6. In combination, a valve assembly comprising a main valve and a pilot valve rigidly supported with the pilot valve within the inlet opening of the main valve, fluid-pressure actuating means including separate diaphragms for said valves, a first straight fluid passage open over one of said diaphragms, a second straight fluid passage open over the other of said diaphragms, a third straight fluid passage open to the downstream side of one of said valves, a fourth straight fluid passage open to the downstream side of the other of said valves, said passages being separately open exteriorly of said assembly, and readily detachable fluid-communicating means interconnecting the exterior ends of the three of said passages to said main-valve diaphragm and to the downstream sides of said valves.

PAULSEN SPENCE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 217,013 Lewis July 1, 1879 625,520 Sauer May 23, 1899 966,150 Woodridge Aug. 2, 1910 1,000,729 Gloeckler Aug. 15, 1911 1,173,834 Metzger Feb. 29, 1916 2,155,170 Odendhal Apr. 18, 1939 2,185,713 Spence Jan. 2, 1940 2,347,676 Eplett May 2, 1944 2,370,110 Spence Feb. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,977 Great Britain of 1904 

